I loved Cindy Kiro’s challenge to our self interest by investing our best in Maori and Pasifika children as the future caregivers of an ageing population.
Now that is a most interesting statement. At a child poverty conference in Auckland last year I suggested to Cindy Kiro directly that there exists a great deal of care-giving capacity in the DPB population which our ageing population could harness thus providing many more paid jobs. She responded to me that she didn't want to see sole mothers "ghettoised" into rest home workers.
Perhaps she has been thinking a little more about where the employment opportunities lie for many Maori and Pacific females in particular. There is no shame in providing care for the aged (or the young for that matter) and being paid to do it well.
2 comments:
2 different issues. one is the suggestion of DPB mothers becoming carers of the aged. The other is maori and pacific children of the future becoming carers of the aged.
I know you like to make alot of statistical leaps in showing the browning of welfare, but Ms Kiro's ghettoisation comments comments on your suggestion of DPB mothers uptaking care work which for the most part continues to be poorly paid and part time, have relevency . Sole mothers should still have the option to take up other employment options and not be pigeonholed to care work. In a libertarian sense, that choice should still be available, unless you are suggesting life choices such as becoming a sole parent scratch you off lifes dance card for higher valued employment.
There is no shame in caring for the elderly I agree, but where the value of the work is paid fairly and not relegated to the bilges where the slaves and the oarsmen reside.
EP
Of course sole parents should have options. However some immediate opportunities lie in the caring industries (pre-school, aged, and health) and with some concerted effort there could be an accommodation of children via on- site crèches or sharing care of youngsters with other sole parents, around half of whom have only one child in their care.
The two issues are related because the young children Cindy Kiro refers to are largely growing up in DPB homes. They need to build expectations of working themselves.
Post a Comment